How in the world can the strategy guide for Disney Universe be the same size as the one for Saints Row: The Third.

After Clark and I finished reading the first "Hunger Games," he thought for a minute and then asked "Do they solve the mystery in the next book?"

"What mystery?" I asked.

"The mystery of the romance."

Nintendo announced their intention to dub this Saturday a Kid Icarus multiplayer battle day, where you're supposed to play Kid Icarus: Uprising online. I enjoyed that bottom Facebook comment. "But I need time to design the Evite!"

It probably does not come across often, but I struggle with politics. I'm still a registered Republican, but I haven't voted for one in decades. There was a time when I detected meanness and control issues on the Democrat side of the fence, and now I see that on a daily basis from the GOP. They're all crooks, I've learned. It is grossly naive to think that any of them are seeking public office because they wish to promote "good values" and "personal integrity" and "a return to what made America great." If that kind of marketing lingo is your chief concern while voting, you're clearly not concerned with actual issues at all, and you might as well go vote for movies at the Redbox instead.

This Times article by Frank Bruni has a bit in it that speaks to my transition out of the GOP.

Within [Republicans'] uppermost ranks are many champions of small government who squirm at the small-mindedness of the scowling theocrats in an increasingly uneasy coalition. These fiscal conservatives take advantage of the religious right's political muscle but have reservations about its hectoring piety, and their own views on social issues are often moderate or somewhat liberal.

The hectoring piety of the scowling theocrats is exactly why I can't bring myself to vote Republican any more. I can only sit and wonder where all my small government friends went, as religious social issues have bullied me right out of the party.

That, and poorly justified expensive wars.

Found this at one of those country craft farm store joints.

I am constantly amazed at how often I see "Green Hornet" substituted for Green Lantern. And "Flash Gordon" substituted for the Flash. And don't try to tell me whoever put this candy basket together was perhaps thinking of the 2011 movie because, jesus fuck, I'm at a country craft farm store joint.

I mean, Seth Rogan movie aside, nobody has heard from the Green Hornet or Flash Gordon for decades. And yet they're still out there in the public consciousness. Gives you some idea just how powerful an impact radio dramas and lush comic strips had once upon a time.

It makes no sense to me that Rocksteady would go to all the trouble of creating multiple characters, unique attacks and special weapons for both Robin and Nightwing, and then refuse to let you play as them in the main Arkham City post-game.

The above clipping is from IGN's quick preview of the upcoming "Harley Quinn's Revenge DLC. We already sort of knew that Robin would be playable, but him being stuck to just this mission is crazy talk.

Oh, and those stupid high score-centric Challenge Maps that the game is convinced we all so dearly love.

We can already switch between Batman and Catwoman in Arkham. Why can't we add Robin and Nightwing in there as well? Is there too much work involved with adjusting goon audio, making sure Riddler reacts properly if Nightwing solves a puzzle rather than Batman? Are Nightwing and Robin thematically lacking some critical gadget ability that the city requires to traverse?

Seeing as how we already have Robin DLC (with unplayable Robin) and Nightwing DLC (with unplayable Nightwing), and now we have Harley DLC with sort-of-playable Robin, it seems highly unlikely that I'll get my wish. Maybe they have a second Harley-sized DLC pack forthcoming that lets Nightwing headline. And maybe that's exactly what will happen. Because as I said, going to all of that work and then limiting the character to stupid Challenge Maps is just nuts.